Honourable Member of…

Honourable Member of Provincial Parliament,
As a life-long resident of Chatham-Kent, I implore you to oppose to the sections of Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025 that, if enacted, will wreak havoc on my community and negatively impact the province of Ontario. Specifically:
“SCHEDULE 3 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACT
The Schedule amends the Environmental Assessment Act.
The Act is amended to provide for the termination of the agreement entered into under section 3.0.1 of the Act concerning various enterprises or activities for or related to the proposed Eagle’s Nest multi-metal mine in Northern Ontario near McFaulds Lake. A related approval under the Act is also revoked.
Part II.3 of the Act requires every proponent who wishes to proceed with a Part II.3 project to apply to the Minister for approval to do so. The Act is amended to provide that specified activities relating to the Chatham-Kent waste disposal site are exempt from Part II.3 of the Act.”

“(2) Section 3.0.2 of the Act, as enacted by subsection (1), is repealed.
2 (1) The Act is amended by adding the following section:
Exemption, Chatham-Kent Waste Disposal Site
Definitions
17.28.1 (1) In this section,
“designated activities” means the activities that are designated by Ontario Regulation 50/24 (Part II.3 Projects – Designations and Exemptions) made under the Act as a project to which Part II.3 applies; (“activités désignées”)
“waste disposal site activities” means the activities designated under section 2 of Ontario Regulation 284/24 (Designation – Chatham-Kent Waste Disposal Site) made under the Act as it read immediately before it was revoked. (“activités au lieu d’élimination des déchets”)
Exemption re Part II.3
(2) Any waste disposal site activities that are designated activities are exempt from Part II.3.
(2) Section 17.28.1 of the Act, as enacted by subsection (1), is repealed.
Revocation of O. Reg. 284/24
3 Ontario Regulation 284/24 is revoked.”

It is important to understand that Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton are rural communities that lead the province in the production of many essential crops that feed, supply, and support the province and country. Any waste disposal site at 29831 Irish School Road, Dresden, will poison the local waterways, devastate the ecosystem and have far-reaching ramifications.

This importance of local agriculture can be discovered by clicking the links below.

Economic Development | Agriculture & Agri-Food--link provided
Agribusiness is big business in Chatham-Kent:
o We are the #1 producer in Canada of Brussels sprouts, black tobacco, cucumbers, pumpkins, seed corn and tomatoes.
o We are the #2 producer in Canada of sugar beets.
o We are the #1 producer in Ontario of green peas, quail and field peppers.
o We are the #2 producer in Ontario of asparagus.
o We have the world's largest freshwater commercial fishing port (Wheatley).
o We grow over 70 different crops.
o We are 90% rural by area, but only 30% of the population of 104,000 live in rural areas.
o Soybeans, corn and wheat are the three major crops in Chatham-Kent in terms of acreage.
o Each farmer in Chatham-Kent produces enough to feed 120 people.
o There are over 2,400 farms, which account for 5% of Ontario's total farms.
o Greenhouses in Chatham-Kent now account for 469 acres or about 10% of Ontario's total greenhouse area.
Value-Added Agriculture & Food--link provided
The original requirement of an Environmental Assessment was put in place because it is warranted! Removing this condition is irresponsible.
Below, please find one of my submissions to The Environmental Registry of Ontario.
“I fully support the need for York1’s Dresden site to undergo a complete environmental assessment prior to the Ministry approving ANYTHING with respect to the property. I live within Chatham-Kent, but am not a Dresden resident, although I do work in Dresden seasonally. I echo the Dresden residents’ concerns regarding all aspects of York1’s proposal.
Increasing the size of an inactive limited purpose landfill to the monstrous proportions and broad scope proposed by York1 is not only unethical, but also an insult to the community of Dresden and Chatham-Kent as a whole. The lack of proper investigative studies with respect to environmental, infrastructure and community impact will only serve to degrade the community and its assets.
The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks is supposed to be “Leading to healthier communities and economic prosperity through protecting Ontario’s air, land and water.” If the applications made by York1 are approved by the Ministry, the exact opposite would occur—the Chatham-Kent community would become less healthy, and our air, land and water would become polluted with toxins and trash from across the province.
York1’s application states that only non-hazardous materials will be transferred and/or stored at the Dresden location, yet it lists materials that are hazardous and/or have the potential to become hazardous. Asphalt, shingles, various metals, tires, and asbestos can create significant environmental hazards as well as being detrimental to human health.
Demolition waste and soil from sites that were constructed prior to 1990, will contain lead and other harmful substances. Lead-based paints, lead pipes and leaded gasoline were commonly used, and lead is known to have serious health effects. This, and other toxins, will be leaching into our local waterways causing irreparable damage to our people and environment.
Does York1 have a pre-sort facility where the hazardous waste will be removed, leaving only the non-hazardous materials for transport to the Dresden location? I think not.
The fact that the proposed site sits just north of the community of Dresden is concerning. The effluent being discharged into Molly’s Creek that is a tributary to the Sydenham River is worrisome due to health risks for those living along the waterways, not to mention the negative impact on wildlife, including identified species at risk. Winds will blow the stench and contamination directly into the community.
Please view York1’s applications for what they truly are—a scheme using outdated Ministry approvals to create a new large-scale recycling and landfill operation. Such projects require far more scrutiny, and deservedly so.”
The community of Dresden, Municipality of Chatham-Kent, and Sarnia-Lambton cannot withstand the burden of a waste disposal site.